Tim Aten Knows: Old Naples restaurant encounters another setback

Q: When is the restaurant supposed to open in the Olde Naples Building on Third Street? Thank you. – J.L., Naples 

A: The future of a restaurant in the historic Olde Naples Building remains uncertain. The on-and-off-again project appears to be off again. 

On the opening day of Olde Naples Hotel, which wraps around two sides of the Olde Naples Building, restaurateur Rick Doody was shocked to learn during a telephone call with Chris Camalier that the Camalier family — owners of both the hotel and restaurant properties — wants to go in a different direction with the restaurant proposed on the corner of Third Street South and Broad Avenue in downtown Naples. 

“He called me on Friday [May 15] and told me the family is thinking about going in another direction,” Doody said. “I expressed my shock and dismay. I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ We’ve done so much work on this.” 

On May 19, Doody received a letter from the landlord terminating the lease. “I’m really shocked and dismayed about the termination in light of all the time, effort and expense I’ve incurred to date,” he said. 

Since Doody signed the lease with the Camaliers in February 2022 to launch a restaurant in the century-old building, the project had to overcome storm surge intrusion from Hurricane Ian and setbacks from the city about outdoor dining and parking permits. The restaurant project has required a lot of work from a design perspective and municipal requirements. 

“It’s just been a mess. It’s a long story,” said Doody, who considers Chris Camalier a friend. 

Cavalier had been silent for the last few weeks, so Doody suspected something was going on. Camalier and his attorneys have not responded to requests for comment on the situation or the possibility of doing something else with the historic property. 

“I don’t know whether they have another tenant that they talked to,” said Doody, who thinks another party offered Camalier more rent, perhaps. “The original deal I had with Chris was a below-market rent but he was a 21% shareholder in the restaurant, which I do all the time with partners.”  

The lease agreement signed four years ago was always contingent on obtaining patio seating, Doody said, because he doesn’t think the restaurant can compete in Naples without it. He believes his lease has a one-year grace period from the time City Council approved the outdoor dining in December. 

“We think we have rights under this lease and we’re going to certainly enforce our rights. We’ll see,” Doody said. “It’s not my style to be in legal battles, but I think we still want to open a restaurant down there. We believe in it and we think we can do a great job.” 

A seasonal resident of North Naples, Doody was co-creator of the Bravo Brio Restaurant Group and now leads a hospitality company that operates multiple restaurant concepts in Ohio and Florida. He plans to create JoJo’s Bar, a high-end Italian-American steakhouse, in the corner building that the Camalier family has owned for more than 40 years. 

Built in 1921, the Olde Naples Building has been vacant for 20 years. Fantozzi’s of Olde Naples closed in 2006 after operating a popular deli/wine and cheese shop there for 20 years. That restored historic building at 1148 Third St. S. is notable for being home to Naples’ first town hall, courthouse, movie theater, playhouse, doctor’s office, library, church and real estate office.  

“I don’t know what will happen at this point. I really don’t,” Doody said. 

Monkee business 

Q: Where and when is Fresh Monkee coming to the Naples area? Thanks! – A.P., Naples 

A: The Naples franchise of Fresh Monkee, a chain specializing in high-protein, low-sugar shakes and smoothies, is coming soon to the new Poinciana Plaza on the southwest corner of Golden Gate Parkway and Airport-Pulling Road. 

Bonita Springs resident Brian Wasko opened his first area location of Connecticut-based Fresh Monkee in April at Coconut Point mall in Estero. In addition to Naples, he plans at least two other spots in Lee County: one in the future Midtown at Bonita and another off Alico Road. 

Fresh Monkee’s naturally flavored shakes are made to order with simple ingredients.  

“These things are amazing,” Wasko said. “I drink them all the time. They are just incredible. They are so healthy because it tastes like you’re drinking a milkshake but you’re getting 30 grams of protein.”  

Signature flavors include the special Almond Coco Loco, the fruity Antioxidant Berry, the crave-worthy Chocolate Coconut, the plant-based Ultimate Green, the stimulating Caramel Coffee Buzz and the nutty Chunkee Monkee. 

“My personal favorite is the Chunkee Monkee,” Wasko said. “I like bananas and peanut butter and Nutella that we put in.” 

Look for the Naples location to open in late summer or early fall. 

“We’re in permitting. Build-out probably is going to start in the next couple of weeks,” Wasko said. “It doesn’t take that long to do, so I would expect we’ll probably be set up in August, maybe September.”  

Other tenants of Poinciana Plaza recently opened or are planning to open this summer or by the end of the year in the final phase of the professional park on that busy corner. 

“The completion of this retail center marks an important milestone for Poinciana Park and the broader Naples community,” said Katie Sproul, CEO of Naples-based Halstatt, the family-owned investment firm that developed the retail center. “From the beginning, we were focused on bringing in a mix of uses that fits naturally with the existing professional park and serves the surrounding area.” 

Anchored by a 2,500-square-foot freestanding Starbucks drive-thru opening this summer, plaza tenants are building out the 10,000-square-foot adjacent inline strip. The recently opened Discover Strength offers 30-minute, trainer-led personal strength sessions. Other health-related businesses will include the LVL Fitness Pilates studio and The Retreat Aesthetics med-spa. 

A couple of leasing opportunities remain, with spaces ranging from about 1,400 to 4,300 square feet for restaurant and food-and-beverage concepts, including those with outdoor dining. 

Shortly after construction began last year, the plaza caught the eye of the Fresh Monkee franchisee.  

“I love that location,” Wasko said. “I can tell you honestly, I love that spot. It’s easy to get in and out of that plaza and I think with Starbucks it’s going to generate a lot of traffic.” 

The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at Tim.Aten@NaplesPress.com.